Other prefixes
The upasarga is the most common type of verb prefix. But there are other verb prefixes that we can use with a verb, too. In this lesson, we will learn about some of these prefixes.
gati
There is a miscellaneous group of prefixes called gati. Usually, these prefixes are used only with specific roots. Here are some common gati prefixes:
करोति → अलंकरोति
karoti → alaṃkaroti
does, makes → decorates, adornsकरोति → सत्करोति
karoti → satkaroti
does, makes → honors, respectsकरोति → नमस्करोति
karoti → namaskaroti
does, makes → honors, veneratesगच्छति → अन्तर्गच्छति
gacchati → antargacchati
goes → “goes within”; disappearsभवति → आविर्भवति
bhavati → āvirbhavati
becomes → becomes apparent or manifest
-sāt
In addition to the prefixes we have seen so far, we can also turn nominals into verb prefixes.
We can create one type of nominal prefix by adding -sāt to the end of the nominal stem. Usually, we use this prefix with the words kṛ (“do, make”) or bhū (“become”).
भस्म → भस्मसात्करोति
bhasma → bhasmasātkaroti
ash → turns (something else) to ashभस्म → भस्मसाद्भवति
bhasma → bhasmasādbhavati
ash → becomes ash
cvi
There is one more type of nominal prefix worth knowing. This type is quite common:
कृष्ण → कृष्णीकरोति
kṛṣṇa → kṛṣṇīkaroti
black → (someone) makes blackकृष्ण → कृष्णीभवति
kṛṣṇa → kṛṣṇībhavati
black → (someone) becomes black
In traditional grammar, these prefixes are called cvi. (The word cvi has a complex technical meaning that is difficult to explain.)
Roughly, here is how we create a cvi prefix. The last a or i of the nominal stem becomes ī:
कृष्ण → कृष्णीकरोति
kṛṣṇa → kṛṣṇīkaroti
black → (someone) makes blackशुचि → शुचीकरोति
śuci → śucīkaroti
clear, bright → (someone) makes clear
The last u becomes ū:
पशु → पशूकरोति
paśu → paśūkaroti
beast, animal → (someone) makes (someone else) a beast or animal
And the last ṛ becomes rī:
मातृ → मात्रीकरोति
mātṛ → mātrīkaroti
mother → (someone) makes (someone else their) mother